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The HfP chat thread – Thursday 18th March

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We are running this daily chat thread on Head for Points during the coronavirus outbreak.

Historically, the daily ‘Bits’ articles were the de facto repository for random comments and questions.  With the news flow being lighter, we are running fewer ‘Bits’ articles.

The comments under this article are where you should post questions about travel and, indeed, anything else on your mind.  At this tricky time, and given that many of you are at home, we want the HfP community to have a place to chat.

Please only comment under the main articles on the site if your comment is directly related to the topic of the article.  This has long-term benefits as it keeps the commentary relevant for people who read those articles in the future.

Old chat threads are hidden from the HfP home page.  If you want to look for something in an old thread, click here.  This brings up all the articles in our ‘General’ category which includes the chat threads.

Comments (268)

This article is closed to new posts. Discussion continues in the HfP Forums.

  • Anna says:

    Got my 1st Covid jab this morning – just in the nick of time if the reports of shortages and no 1st appointments being offered in April are anything to go by.

    • Darren says:

      AZ?
      Had mine yesterday and have a mild hangover feeling.

      • Scott says:

        Got mine next Thursday morning and then working after.
        Might book the following day off judging by the number of people who seem to be having similar symptoms that might go away in a day, with a couple of paracetamol or resting a few days.

      • Anna says:

        Yes AZ. Everyone I know has been ill for 2 days afterwards! The vaccination centre was really quiet, I was in and out well before the appointment time.

        • Jody says:

          Hope you feel alright afterwards Anna. I’m a bit gutted, was hoping they’d move down to under 50s soon (I’m 45) but they’ve now announced the pause for a month. I’ve got an auto-immune disease, but it isn’t one that is on the list to make me into the vulnerable group, and I also have a stoma, but again, that isn’t on the list. I know everyone needs to wait their turn, I guess I’m just getting a little impatient and frustrated that I’ll be effected by this pause. Like everyone, I suppose I just want my jab asap.

          • Anna says:

            Hi Jody – have you tried booking on the NHS site? It was letting 50 year olds book earlier in the week even though it was still saying 55 and over. I don’t know if they filter you out by age though – although somebody posted on here the other day that if you just put in your NHS number and not your dob it still lets you book in. Alternatively is there any way you could get a left over vaccine at the end of the day? Our vaccination centre here is huge but there were literally 2 other people there this morning so there is clearly capacity around which isn’t being taken up.

          • James says:

            Jody I was going suggest with Anna said. My friend is working at a central London centre and says they have been under capacity this week and so suggested I come along for a vaccine which I’m doing tomorrow (I’m mid 40s although wife is vulnerable but I still hadn’t been called).

          • Jody says:

            James I wouldn’t feel right just turning up on the off-chance. I’ve phoned my GP, they say there is no standby list. I tried calling the practice where they’re being done, but my call was 23 in line, and after 10 minutes on hold I hadn’t moved. I hung up, as obviously they’ve got people trying to get through to the practice for more genuine reasons than mine.

          • Lady London says:

            @Jody I would just go along to the vacc site in the late middle of the (non-weekend) day and ask.

        • Jody says:

          I’ve been trying the online booking site every day. If I don’t put my date of birth in it doesn’t even let me carry on though and if I do it just says I’m not eligible.

          The jabs are being done at a local Drs surgery (not mine, but it’s where my practice are sending patients). It does say not to ring that centre, but was thinking of ringing my GP to see if there is any kind of stand-by list that I could be added to. However, I suspect they’ll politely tell me to bugger off!

          • MattH says:

            Moderna are delivering from April and these can only be used as first jabs so it may well all change. Moderna isnt manufactured in EU so should be delivered although they are only delivering 50k a week.

        • Michael C says:

          Congrats, Anna! I had a massive case of the freezing shivers overnight, but fine by lunchtime next day.

      • Colin MacKinnon says:

        Had my AZ on Monday and felt a wee bit fuzzy on Tuesday, full of beans yesterday!

      • SimonP says:

        I had mine and a day later I was very fatigued for a couple of days.

    • DarrenS says:

      Me and my wife had the Pfizer 5 weeks ago. Same time, same batch. I was rough for 72 hours, she was fine.

      • Aston100 says:

        Hi Darren, did you get the Viagra style headache too?
        I know I did.

        *Disclaimer: I’ve only tried Viagra once, just to see what happens.

        • Harry T says:

          I think you’re meant to say your friend tried viagra once and told you how it felt.

          • Chris Heyes says:

            Harry T You got that wrong he tried viagra his friend told him how it felt lol
            Defiantly going down hill now

          • Darren says:

            How it felt? Pretty stiff I’d think 🤔

          • ankomonkey says:

            🙂

          • AJA says:

            you’ve just reminded me of that wonderful scene from Dinnerladies where Dolly thinks she has drunk the tea containing the viagra and gets upset thinking about what it will do to her when it gets down there and there’s nothing to pump up. “It’ll be like a Land Rover going full speed into a cul-de-sac, It’ll bounce back and go straight to my heart. I’ll die of a heart attack!”

        • Chris Heyes says:

          Aston100 What happens ? lol

      • Linda says:

        Both my hubby and myself had the Pfizer. I had a sore arm and he had nothing. Due our second in three weeks time.

    • Mike says:

      How do you prove that you’re a carer for someone?

      • BP says:

        You self-certify on the Scottish application form. There’s no checking.

      • Darren says:

        You can register at your GP, mine has an online form to complete. Very easy if you have online access through the GP

  • Josh says:

    Is there a way to increase my VA CC spending limit or do I need to wait for them to do it?

  • Newbie says:

    Let’s say you book a hotel in Greece for July that can be cancelled only up to 2 weeks before arrival.

    International travel is allowed in 17th May as expected but then Greece is somehow blacklisted less than a week before your trip.

    Is there any travel insurance policy that would cover such case? I’ve just asked StaySure and they said they wouldn’t.

    • Anna says:

      People have mentioned Battleface? I don’t know if that’s just for medical cover though. I wouldn’t be paying for anything in advance at the moment though, unless it’s through a travel company which guarantees a refund in the event you can’t travel (for any reason). All my summer bookings are avios/hotel points/BA holidays.

  • Ste Cox says:

    Airtime has just shown up for a Morrisons shop on Friday

    • Andy says:

      My Saturday transaction at Greggs turned up today as well.

    • Alekun says:

      Can i combine Airtime Rewards spend at morrison using my natwest rewards offering 10% on a £40 spend.

      Natwest mention that giftcard purchases arent allowed but I am guessing they wont know what the £40 spend would be made up from?

  • memesweeper says:

    I’m now in possession of a B’clays Prem account, funded. Salary payments start next month. Should I do my switch now, or wait to activate the Avios thing first?

    • SwissJim says:

      You could be waiting a long time for Avios to activate. I am still waiting…..

      • Joe says:

        Really strange – I opened mine last week & Avios Rewards was there straight away. Hopefully will show up soon!

    • Roger says:

      Check the app for the app for a iOS rewards. Not the website. I’m enrolled on it in the app but it doesn’t show on the site. App only functionally apparently.

      Also wait till your enrolled before you do the transfer to ensure you’re in terms of thenoffer

  • Josh O says:

    Hi all – I just wondered if anyone has broadband via Community Fibre? If so, I believe there are £50 Amazon vouchers for signs up – and I am looking to signup! Please feel free to ahare your code 🙂

  • Simon says:

    Would any NH/VS experts possibly be able to advise me?

    Although an unwritten rule, I know others (as well as myself) have benefited from the sound customer service at Virgin whereby an agent has been willing to use miles from TWO accounts (husband and wife, in my case) to make a single redemption.

    Is there any likelihood, with a fair wind, of this similarly being the case with NH redemptions through VS miles, or is this unwritten policy really only for flights on VS metal?

    Thanks in advance.

    • Matthew says:

      The rule with VS was that one account must have enough miles for one leg outright. So you could use yours for 3 out of 4 legs and your partners for 1. You can’t use say 20,000 miles from their account if one leg costs say 25,000.

      The difference with NH redemptions is that you must book it as a return so they may insist they have enough for a return each to be able to use miles from each account. But that it my speculation and the best way would be phone and ask as they are super helpful.

      • Simon says:

        Many thanks indeed for this, Matthew — very much appreciated! 🙂

  • James says:

    I’m thinking of upgrading my Amex Gold Charge to a Plat this year because I want the travel insurance for a skiing holiday. Has anyone had any luck with an upgrade offer that gives them a sign up bonus if they have had a point earning card recently?

    • BS says:

      Yes. Regularly got it in my offers. You can also call up and ask. It is usually offered.

      • Benilyn says:

        Has anyone got this offer for Gold Biz?

      • James says:

        Thanks, I called recently and they said there wasn’t an offer on, but I checked my emails from a while ago and had one – hopefully they will be able to honour it!

        Thanks for your help 🙂

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